The invention relates to cell fusion. It is often desirable in biochemical processes to fuse cells and thereby combine in one cell certain of the properties of the individual cells. Cell fusion is of particular interest in the production of monoclonal antibodies. Such antibodies are produced from a colony of identical cells all derived from a common ancestral cell. In order that the common ancestor be capable of reproducing itself, i.e., be immortal, it is formed by fusing a lymphocyte (e.g., a B cell from the spleen ) that secretes the desired antibody with an immortal cancer cell such as myeloma cell.
Cell fusions are conventionally performed by suspending the cells in polyethylene glycol or another material capable of weakening or dissolving the cell membranes. This tends to cause a tiny fraction of the suspended cells to fuse, and the fused cells can then be separated.
Efforts have also been made to fuse cells by the action of an electric field. Zimmermann has reported successful fusions of plant protoplasts using the technique of subjecting the cells, first, to an alternating potential to collect them on the surfaces of two spaced apart electrodes (by the process known as electrophoresis) and, second, to a pulse designed to breakdown the cell membranes at the regions of contact between collected cells. Zimmermann et al., "Fusion of Avena Sativa Mesophyll Cell Protoplasts by Electrical Breakdown", 641 Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 160-165 (1981).